'My brother was left in custody without support'

A 66-year-old man with special needs spent 24 hours in police custody with no appropriate adult, his sister has said.

Nick Prosser, from Strensham, Worcestershire, was arrested in November after "lashing out after being provoked" and was taken to Worcester police station by officers.

His sister Susan Tustin said she should have been notified as his next of kin, but was not told her brother had been detained until the next day.

West Mercia Police said it had received a formal complaint and was investigating.

Mrs Tustin said her brother, who lives with her, cannot read, write or make a phone call and that anyone who met him would know he needed an appropriate adult.

She said what her brother had experienced was "horrific" and his next of kin should have been notified after his arrest.

"Nick was arrested on the Friday after lashing out after being provoked," she said, "But I got a call at 4pm on the Saturday saying 'can we bail him to you?'

"He should have been charged and released to me straight away. He had no appropriate adult. The police said an NHS worker assessed him and decided he didn't need one."

Appropriate adults are trained to support children and vulnerable adults within the justice system, safeguarding their interests.

Mrs Tustin said Mr Prosser, who had recently retired, had been "shaking" when he was dropped off at her house after spending a night in a cell.

The pair attended a court hearing in January and Mr Prosser was later informed the case had been dropped.

"The letter telling us it had been thrown out arrived a few days later," Mrs Tustin added. "It had been sent to the wrong place."

"He's worked all his life and has never been in any sort of trouble before," she said of her brother.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "We can confirm we have received a formal complaint on this matter, and it is being investigated."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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